Canon 16-35 Mk2 and graduated filters?

rvdw98 wrote in post #9234586
So what do you shoot that requires more than 6 stops worth of GNDs?

I just realized that I have a sun shining through clouds in the frame, most of the time when I whip out the filters.

So yes, a nuclear blast after all .

Kind regards, Wim

wimg wrote in post #9234633
I just realized that I have a sun shining through clouds in the frame, most of the time when I whip out the filters.

So yes, a nuclear blast after all .

Indeed.

Got some Lee GNDs en route to me right now. The color cast from my trusty Cokins finally became too much of a nuisance.

rvdw98 wrote in post #9237254
Indeed.

Got some Lee GNDs en route to me right now. The color cast from my trusty Cokins finally became too much of a nuisance.

Which format Cokins were you using? The X-Pros are allright, so far.

Kind regards, Wim

wimg wrote in post #9237862
Which format Cokins were you using? The X-Pros are allright, so far.

I've been using the P-system for which I collected several items over the years. I last used them on some landscapes in Norway this summer and all of them had a rather dominant magenta tinge. For those particular shots it didn't even look all that bad, but if I want an off-color effect, I'd rather add one during PP. And most of the time, the cast is unwelcome to begin with.

When I got home from christmas shopping today, I was virtually met on my way in by a courier who handed me my order from Lee. It's an investment though: because the Lee's don't fit the Cokin P holder, I had to go the whole nine yards (foundation set, adapter ring, filter pouch). So hopefully the results will offset the financial heartache.

Hitech gnd's for me as well, also use the Lee holder with a wide angle adapter. The Lee holder is superior to the Cokin Z-Pro in my opinion. It can be positioned slightly closer to the lens, (every bit helps reduce vignetting, especially if you stack, or add a polarizer to the combo). The Lee holder also uses a brass spring release. Didn't like the plastic pins on the Z-Pro.

Hitech Gnd's are half the price of the Lee's, and in real world comparison are equal in quality, no colour cast's etc.

But the Lee's are 4x6 which may be a slight advantage over the 4x5 Hitech's. Agree that 2 and 3 stops to start with.

The screw in filters are largely useless... I really don't know why they sell them. The gradation is practically always at the wrong place in the image area.

Usually one or two stops are adequate. For OP using the 16-35 MkII I suggest getting the Cokin X filter holder (you'll need their largest to fit 82mm filter thread) and buying their two, inexpensive "graduated gray" filters to experiment with.

Other's make filters in the Cokin sizes... Lee, Singh-Ray, Tiffen and more. Once you know better what you like to use (from practicing a bit with the Cokin), you can buy better quality filters of your choice.

Lee makes lens hoods to fit the Cokin holders, too. It's a good idea to use them since all filters of this type are uncoated AFAIK.

I haven't really seen a color cast with the Cokin I've used (P size, not the X size).... but these filters are made and dyed in batches, so maybe there is some variation batch to batch. A slight, but consistent tint should be easily corrected in post processing... It would be more difficult if it's incoinsistent, such as only in the gray area and not in the clear section of the filter.

KenG wrote in post #9238704
Hitech gnd's for me as well, also use the Lee holder with a wide angle adapter. The Lee holder is superior to the Cokin Z-Pro in my opinion. It can be positioned slightly closer to the lens, (every bit helps reduce vignetting, especially if you stack, or add a polarizer to the combo). The Lee holder also uses a brass spring release. Didn't like the plastic pins on the Z-Pro.

I also ordered the wide angle adapter, since I'll be using these filters with a 17-40 on a FF body.

I noticed though that it takes a little force to "snap" the holder onto the adapter ring, even with the thumb screw pulled all the way back. Is that as designed?

KenG wrote in post #9238704
Hitech Gnd's are half the price of the Lee's, and in real world comparison are equal in quality, no colour cast's etc.

I came across several reports from people who were experiencing casts with Hitechs as well, albeit not nearly as strong as with the Cokins. Several claimed that returning the filters once or twice did eventually get them a set of neutral filters. Because I had already gone through the whole color cast ordeal with the Cokins, I decided to play it safe and aimed between the competitively priced Hitechs and the very expensive Singh Rays.

KenG wrote in post #9238704
But the Lee's are 4x6 which may be a slight advantage over the 4x5 Hitech's.

That's an added bonus, as I often came up short with the Cokins during some creative framing.